The NVS National Championship report by show secretary John Trim fnvs with photographs by Trevor Last fnvs

The NVS National Championships 5/6 September 2009
Held at the Dorset County Showground
Organised by the NVS Southern Branch
Show manager Barry Newman fnvs
Show secretary John Trim fnvs

Our grateful thanks are extended to our hosts the Officers and Members of the Dorset Agricultural Society for providing us with a wonderful venue, superb marquee and facilities and a very warm Dorset welcome. We would also like to thank another of our major sponsors Marshalls the Vegetable and Fruit Company. Also special thanks to all the class sponsors, the Southern Branch district associations, societies and individual companies who put their hands in their pocket to help us out in this difficult time. As is usual when organising an event such as this, there are many loyal stalwarts who come to the fore to help, unfortunately far too many to mention for fear of leaving some one out. But we must give congratulations to David Wall and his team of helpers from the Dorset D.A for their delightful award winning vegetable garden.

Our Thanks to the Judges

Mrs Jane Wagstaff, fnvs Derbyshire. Mr Medwyn Williams, fnvs MBE Anglesey. Mr Peter Guthrie, fnvs Perthshire. Mr Malcolm Evans, fnvs Yorkshire. Mr Gerry Edwards, Middlesex. Mr Clarence Thomas, Cornwall. Mr Len Stebbings, fnvs ‘nas’ Surrey. Mr Geoff Prior, fnvs ‘nas’ Kent.

The Show Results

1. The Ayr Flower Show Trophy Collection of 6 kinds of vegetables.

1 st Peter Clark 2 nd John Branham 3 rd Jim Thompson 4 th Trevor Last 5 th Derek Aldred.
Sponsored by Broadway, Upwey & District Horticultural Society
(Entries received 5- entries staged 5)

2. Nutri Mate Millennium Class Collection of 5 kinds of vegetables.

1 st Allen Young 2nd Andrew Jones 3rd Peter Clark 4th Don Owens 5th James Pearson.
Sponsored by Nutri mate
( Entries received 11-entries staged 10

3. The Maydon Challenge Shield. Onions large exhibition dish of five.

1 st Jim Thompson 2nd Paul Henshaw 3rd Andrew Jones 4th Derek Aldred 5th Brian Rance.
Sponsored by Robinsons Seeds
(Entries received 6-entries staged 5)

4. The Anglesey Trophy. Pea’s one dish of 12 pods.

1 st Ian Simpson 2nd Andrew Jones 3rd James Pearson 4th Jim Gradie 5th Jim Thompson.
Sponsored by NVS Dorset Dist Association
( Entries received 9-entries staged 8 )

5. The Vice Presidents Shield. Carrot’s long pointed dish of five.

1 st Graeme Watson 2nd Jim Thompson 3rd John Branham 4th David Thornton 5th Trevor Last.
Sponsored by Poundbury Garden Centre
(Entries Received 17- entries staged 10)

6. Bob Keeley Memorial Tankard. Collection of 3 kinds of vegetables.

1 st Graeme Watson 2 nd Peter Clark 3 rd J.A.Carver 4 th Arwyn Edwards 5 th Ian Simpson.
Sponsored by NVS Southern Branch
( Entries Received 22- entries staged 14)

7. The Holdernesse Trophy. Shallots large exhibition dish of twelve.

1 st David Thornton 2 nd Andrew Jones 3 rd John Goodall 4 th Richard Curtis 5 th A.R.Newton.
Sponsored by NVS Sussex Dist Association
(Entries received 13- entries staged 11)

8. The Hogan Group Trophy. Parsnips one dish of five.

1 st Graeme Watson 2 nd Andrew Jones 3 rd Trevor Last 4 th John Branham 5 th Jim Thompson.
Sponsored by Tozer Seeds Direct
(Entries received 15- entries staged 9)

9. The Garden News Cup. Cucumbers one dish of three.

1 st Sherie Plumb 2 nd Graeme Watson 3 rd Jim Thompson 4 th Don Owens 5 th Peter Clark.
Sponsored by NVS Essex Dist Association
(Entries received 15- entries staged 9)

10. The Armadale Trophy. Tomatoes one dish of twelve.

1 st Jim McCartney 2 nd Trevor Last 3 rd Don Owens 4 th Brian Arm 5 th Andrew Jones.
Sponsored by Shelley Seeds
(Entries received 18- entries staged 15)

11. The Dundee Discovery Trophy. Onions dish of five. 1kg to 1.5kg.

1 st Derek Aldred 2 nd Andrew Jones. (Only two entries staged)
Sponsored by N.A.Kays
(Entries Received 12- entries staged 2)

12. The Gwent D.A Trophy. Shallots Pickling dish of fifteen.

1 st Sherie Plumb 2 nd Jim McCartney 3 rd Richard Curtis 4 th Jim Gradie 5 th A.R.Newton.
Sponsored by NVS Devon Dist Association
(Entries received 11-entries staged 9)

13. The Nickerson Trophy. Potatoes coloured one dish of five.

1 st Sherie Plumb 2 nd John Branham 3 rd Andrew Jones 4 th Mark Raymont 5 th John Bebbington.
Sponsored by Tuckers Seeds
(Entries received 26- entries staged 14)

14. The D.T.Brown Trophy. Potatoes White one dish of five.

1 st Sherie Plumb 2 nd Alan Terry 3 rd Mark Hall 4 th John Bebbington 5 th Frank Taylor.
Sponsored by Tuckers Seeds
(Entries received 25- entries staged 10)

15. NVS Millennium Bowl. Onions dish of five not exceeding 250 grms.

1 st Mark Hall 2 nd Andrew Jones 3 rd John Goodall 4 th Allen Young 5 th Len Sherring.
Sponsored by NVS Surrey Dist Association
(Entries received 12- entries staged 7)

16. The Riverside Trophy. Celery one dish of three heads.

1 st Trevor Last 2 nd Chris Hewlett 3 rd John Glyn Jones 4 th John Goodall.
Sponsored by NVS Kent Dist Association
(Entries received 9- entries received 4)

17. Chairman’s Challenge Shield. Leeks blanch one dish of five.

1 st Derek Aldred 2 nd J.Carver 3 rd Peter Clark 4 th Arwyn Edwards
Sponsored by Medwyns Seeds
(Entries received 6-entries staged 4)

18. Manchester & Dist D.A Trophy. Beans Runner dish of fifteen.

1 st Sherie Plumb 2 nd Andrew Jones 3 rd M.Strange 4 th A.Newton 5 th Peter Clark.
Sponsored by Pennard Plants
(Entries received 13- entries staged 11)

19. Holdernesse Twin Trophy. Carrots Stump Rooted dish of five.

1 st Ian Simpson 2 nd Jim McCartney 3 rd James Pearson 4 th Andrew Jones 5 th Allen Young.
Sponsored by Marshalls Seeds
(Entries received 26- entries staged 17)

20. The Henry Ludlam Trophy. Cauliflowers dish of three.

1 st James Pearson 2 nd Graeme Watson 3 rd Peter Clark 4 th Sherie Plumb 5 th Jim McCartney.
Sponsored by Shelly Seeds.
(Entries received 17- entries staged 11)

21. The Secrett Trophy. Beans Dwarf French dish of fifteen.

1 st Jim Thompson 2 nd M.Strange 3 rd Andrew Jones 4 th Ray Bassett 5 th Ian Simpson.
Sponsored by NVS Hampshire Dist Association
(Entries received 11- entries staged 7)

22. The D.T Brown Beetroot Trophy. Beetroot Long dish of five.

1 st Jim Thompson 2 nd John Glyn Jones 3 rd Peter Clark 4 th Trevor Last 5 th John Branham.
Sponsored by Poundbury Garden Centre
(Entries received 10- entries staged 5)

23. Sutton Seeds Silver Cup. Leeks Pot one dish of two.

1 st Peter Clark 2 nd Gareth Cameron 3 rd Derek Aldred
Sponsored by P&M Read Florists
(Entries received 4- entries staged 3)

In all we had 313 entries of which 200 were staged. An average of approx 64%. Our worse class was number 11 for onions 1kg to 1.5kg. Only 2 staged out of 12 and I believe this class was introduced to make it possible for members to show onions without too much expense on growing aids.

59 exhibitors entered. Two pulled out prior to the show informing me of their situation. (Very considerate as they appreciated that the show secretary has to allocate space to each vegetable entered.)

9 other exhibitors failed to show up. Though one person had travelled all the way from Wales then overslept in their hotel and arrived at the marquee half an hour after judging had commenced. (No names)

The best in show exhibit was awarded to Graeme Watson winner of class 8 Parsnips. The other exhibit that pushed Graeme close was Sherie Plumbs fantastic set of runner beans.

Additional Awards.

The Cecil Smith Perpetual Silver Salver was awarded to Andrew Jones for gaining most points in the show, 51 and surprising for Andrew he did this without winning a single first prize. Andrew also won the Banksian medal for winning most prize money in the show.

And of course the National Vegetable Society Silver Jubilee Trophy and Silver Medal for the most meritorious exhibit in the show were won by Graeme Watson for his stunning parsnips.

On this occasion the Holdernesse Twin award was not won as we had two different winners in the nominated classes of 7 and 19.

Finally may I thank all the officials, judges and exhibitors who have contacted Barry Newman and me with congratulations on a successful show in a beautiful venue. All your comments are appreciated and we are glad that you enjoyed your weekend in Dorset. As anyone who has ever run a National Show will be aware of, it takes a lot of work over several months to bring the show to a successful conclusion.

Next year it is Dundee, Scotland. Check the date in the next newsletter.

John Trim fnvs ‘Show Secretary NVS Southern Branch’.